The Thereza Christina Maria Collection consists of 21,742 photographs assembled by Emperor Pedro II and left by him to the National Library of Brazil. The collection covers a vast range of subjects. It documents the achievements of Brazil and the Brazilian people in the 19th century, as well as includes many photographs from Europe, Africa, and North America. This 1894 photograph shows part of a fortification on Villegagnon Island, which is located near the entrance to Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro. The island is named in honor of French ...

The Thereza Christina Maria Collection consists of 21,742 photographs, assembled by Emperor Pedro II and left by him to the National Library of Brazil. The collection covers a vast range of subjects. It documents the achievements of Brazil and the Brazilian people in the 19th century, as well as includes many photographs from Europe, Africa, and North America. This photograph shows the Forte de Gragoatá, a fortress constructed in 1696 as part of the defenses of Rio de Janeiro.

This manuscript map shows the city of Rio de Janeiro spread along the shores of Guanabara Bay. The map, which is the work of José Correia Rangel de Bulhões, emphasizes the defenses of the city and the port. Rio de Janeiro displaced Salvador as Brazil’s most important port after gold and diamonds were discovered in nearby Minas Gerais province in 1720. The city became the colonial capital in 1763.